Anwer Hussain
is a Senior Vice President at CHS Inc. Anwer grew up in Karachi where he developed his fondness for ghazals. He has been in United States since 1972. His fondness for ghazal was re-kindled when he visited a friend, in the late eighties, in Toronto. His friend sang some of the old nostalgic Indian songs while his wife played harmonium. Upon his return to Minnesota Anwer decided to purchase a harmonium and learnt how to play it along with vocals. This practice continued despite his demanding travel and job responsibilities. He later learned the art of ghazal singing through a very seasoned harmonium and ghazal singer Guru Chandan Ji from Nagpur, India. Anwer has continued to make progress in this hobby and often performs for his friends as well as twin cities schools.

Shakil Siddiqui
is a Minnesota resident for last thirty five years and is director of business development at Twin City Fan Companies. Shakil learnt Tabla from local Tabla Ustad Pavan Allalaghatta and continues to study tabla under his guidence. He accompanies local ghazal singers in Minnesota. Shakil was exposed to music while growing up in India, Bangladesh and Pakistan. He never had an opportunity to learn musical instrument. Minnesota has a growing population of Indian and Pakistanis and playing for local community has become a great hobby for Shakil.

Raza Hasan
is the CEO of TimeSolv.com.  Raza coincidentally discovered old Indian karaoke music about five year ago.  He was attending a party at a friend’s house in Woodbury.  Karaoke equipment at this party was a surprise but everyone enjoyed singing. Since Raza had fun singing with his friends, he purchased the software and sound system and has been singing old Indian and Pakistani songs at small gatherings to entertain friends.  His musical interest grew after joining Anwer Hussain and Shakil Siddiqui who have over the years,  extended their guidance and encouragement to him. Raza has been taking lessons from Dr. Pooja Goswaami in semi-classical music and is a a member of Indian Music Society of Minnesota.  Raza finds that pursuit of music is a very relaxing hobby.

Joko Sutrisno & Sumunar, Indonesian Music and Dance group .

A graduate of the Academy of Performing Arts in Surakarta, Central Java, Joko is a gifted Javanese gamelan performer, composer and teacher. He directed the gamelan ensemble at Victoria University in Wellington, New Zealand, before coming to Minnesota in 1995. From 1995-2002 he served as music director for The Schubert Club’s gamelan program. He has collaborated with Katha Dance Theater, Ragamala Music and Dance Theater, Zeitgeist and Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theater. Joko is an adjunct faculty member at Hamline University and the University of Minnesota.

Performers Accompanying Joko are:

Naomi Shinoda, Aimee Thostenson, Martha Mockus, Neal Hines, Nanda Sutrisno(dance), Tri Sutrisno (dance), Susannah Smith, Aaron Victorin-Vangerud, Lars Christensen, Daniel Furuta

Anwer Hussain
is a Senior Vice President at CHS Inc. Anwer grew up in Karachi where he developed his fondness for ghazals. He has been in United States since 1972. His fondness for ghazal was re-kindled when he visited a friend, in the late eighties, in Toronto. His friend sang some of the old nostalgic Indian songs while his wife played harmonium. Upon his return to Minnesota Anwer decided to purchase a harmonium and learnt how to play it along with vocals. This practice continued despite his demanding travel and job responsibilities. He later learned the art of ghazal singing through a very seasoned harmonium and ghazal singer Guru Chandan Ji from Nagpur, India. Anwer has continued to make progress in this hobby and often performs for his friends as well as twin cities schools.

Shakil Siddiqui
is a Minnesota resident for last thirty five years and is director of business development at Twin City Fan Companies. Shakil learnt Tabla from local Tabla Ustad Pavan Allalaghatta and continues to study tabla under his guidence. He accompanies local ghazal singers in Minnesota. Shakil was exposed to music while growing up in India, Bangladesh and Pakistan. He never had an opportunity to learn musical instrument. Minnesota has a growing population of Indian and Pakistanis and playing for local community has become a great hobby for Shakil.

Raza Hasan
is the CEO of TimeSolv.com.  Raza coincidentally discovered old Indian karaoke music about five year ago.  He was attending a party at a friend’s house in Woodbury.  Karaoke equipment at this party was a surprise but everyone enjoyed singing. Since Raza had fun singing with his friends, he purchased the software and sound system and has been singing old Indian and Pakistani songs at small gatherings to entertain friends.  His musical interest grew after joining Anwer Hussain and Shakil Siddiqui who have over the years,  extended their guidance and encouragement to him. Raza has been taking lessons from Dr. Pooja Goswaami in semi-classical music and is a a member of Indian Music Society of Minnesota.  Raza finds that pursuit of music is a very relaxing hobby.

Joko Sutrisno & Sumunar, Indonesian Music and Dance group .

A graduate of the Academy of Performing Arts in Surakarta, Central Java, Joko is a gifted Javanese gamelan performer, composer and teacher. He directed the gamelan ensemble at Victoria University in Wellington, New Zealand, before coming to Minnesota in 1995. From 1995-2002 he served as music director for The Schubert Club’s gamelan program. He has collaborated with Katha Dance Theater, Ragamala Music and Dance Theater, Zeitgeist and Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theater. Joko is an adjunct faculty member at Hamline University and the University of Minnesota.

Performers Accompanying Joko are:

Naomi Shinoda, Aimee Thostenson, Martha Mockus, Neal Hines, Nanda Sutrisno(dance), Tri Sutrisno (dance), Susannah Smith, Aaron Victorin-Vangerud, Lars Christensen, Daniel Furuta

Dr. Pooja Goswami Pavan (Vocal) (visiting faculty at the School of Music, University of Minnesota, teaching courses in Indian music & culture),
Dr. Allalaghatta Pavan (tabla) (Principal Research Scientist at Honeywell Labs) Matt Rahaim (harmonium) (Asst Professor of Music at the University of Minnesota)

Vijay Ramanathan & Group

Vijay is a freelance vocalist, composer, music producer, and sound engineer.

He is a highly accomplished vocalist and composer based in Eden Prairie, MN. He has received extensive training in South Indian Classical (Carnatic) music, and has performed in numerous classical and light music concerts. Vijay also composes music for stage, film and television, and operates his own recording center, DigiRaga Studios. His works include theme music for local television programs, “Chai City” and “Geetmala”, sound design and score for the stage show “Fear of Freedom”, “Fragile Lines”, and “Mann Manam” by Aniccha Arts and soundtrack for the short film “Mat Baanto Insaan Ko”. Vijay has collaborated on many projects with artists and organizations both here in the Twin Cities and elsewhere in the country. These include the Katha Dance Theatre, Pangea World Theater, Ragamala Music and Dance Theater, Sanskriti Dance Academy and others. Vijay has released a music album, Namah, a collection of Hindu devotional songs.

Dr. Pooja Goswami Pavan (Vocal) (visiting faculty at the School of Music, University of Minnesota, teaching courses in Indian music & culture),
Dr. Allalaghatta Pavan (tabla) (Principal Research Scientist at Honeywell Labs) Matt Rahaim (harmonium) (Asst Professor of Music at the University of Minnesota)

Amwaaj
“Amwaaj” means “waves” in Arabic.  Amwaaj is a classical Arabic ensemble dedicated to creating an audience for classical Arabic music in Minnesota.  Through presenting concerts and offering educational programs, Amwaaj hopes to share their love of the Arabic repertoire with a diverse range of audiences. Amwaaj’s members have over 100 years combined musical experience, come from different cultural backgrounds, and have studied under renowned masters like Simon Shaheen.

Performers
Salah Abdel Fattah, originally from Egypt, on violin and oud, Laura Harada on violin, oud,  and percussion, Tim O’Keefe on percussion and oud, Dawn Doering on nay and flute.

Janani  and Jeyani  Narayan (violin)
are 8 th graders at Math and Science Academy. They learn South Indian classical music on Violin from Shri Mullaivasal Chandramouli. Jeyani won the Carnatic Star of Minnesota (instrumental) in 2010. They also learn Western Classical music on Violin and they are in Philharmoni Orchestra of Minnesota Youth Symphonies.

Sriram Natarajan (mridangam)
is a versatile Mridangam artiste and collaborative world musician. His style of accompaniment is very adaptive to both instrumental and vocal music. Sriram regularly accompanies renowned and upcoming artistes. His world music collaborations include the St Olaf Jazz Band, Northfield MN, Kora Artiste Mamdou Diabate at the Festival of Nations in St Paul MN and the Brass Kings. Sriram is a resident of Apple Valley MN and is the founder of the Layyasaaram school of music.

Balaji Chandran (Gatam)
started his Carnatic percussion studies in Mridhangam under Sri.Kovai Mani and Sri. Kadayanallur Narayana Iyer. He has been part of the Aradhana celebrations in Minnesota, USA for the past 8 years, and has performed in many venues across America. He is also adept in playing the Kanjira and has also lent his support in both Mridhangam and Ghatam for Bharathanatyam Arengetrams.

Nirmala Rajasekar & The Naadha Rasa Ensemble

Accompanying Artist:Poornima Sathanarayanan, Shruthi Rajasekar, Srividya Ganesh, Sruthi Shankar, Priya Kanajam. Balaji Chandran (on the Gatam), Sriram Natarajan  (miridangam & khanjira-depending on song), V. Srinivasan (miridangam and Khanjira

Nirmala Rajasekar is one of the most recognized performers in the world of South Indian Classical (Carnatic) music. She began her training in this art form at age 6 and debuted as a solo performer at age 13 in Bangalore India. She is a disciple of veteran veena Guru octogenarian Prof. Kalapakam Swaminathan and has had vocal mentoring under Prof.Sitarama Sarma and Prof. T. R Subramaniam.

Since then for three decades now she has become one of its best practitioners taking the music of her veena along with her singing to many parts of the world with utmost dedication, passion and a deep love for the art. Nirmala’s music is marked by a repertoire which reflects her adherence to the rich patanthara (lineage and heritage) of her Gurus. She has showcased the two thousand year old tradition of Carnatic music and performed it in traditional and collaborative settings playing and singing alongside other forms of music including western classical music and jazz. Nirmala teaches at the ‘Naadha Rasa Center for Music’ and serves is its artistic director. She serves as an educator on many National and State teaching rosters in the country and abroad.

At the 2009- 2010 Winter music Festival in Chennai, India Nirmala had a unique honor -  She won awards from 3 of the top music organizations  in Chennai for her concert performances- from Sri Krishna Gana sabha, Narada Gana Sabha and the Music Academy Madras.  In 2009 she won awards from the Indian Fine Arts Society and the Rotary Club.

In September 2010 Nirmala performed at International Festival of Music  in Turkey at Konya www.mysticmusicfest.com. The press release of the festival states that fact that this was perhaps the first veena concert in that country in 50 years or more.

In May 2010, Nirmala received (from the MacPhail Center for Music) the McKnight Performing Artists Fellowship for the year 2010-2011. She has become the first Indian Musician to be chosen for this Fellowship. Similarly she had won the prestigious Bush Fellowship in 2006 and had become the first Indian musician to be awarded this Fellowship.

Nirmala performed at the second National Conference of Veena at Chicago Illinois as a featured artist in April 2010 where she was honored for her many contributions to the music world.

Albums and recordings

• Nirmala’s creativity and musicianship is seen in recordings by several labels and companies-
• BBC, England ‘Library of world artists – concert on the veena’ 1991.
• Audio Lit. Inc- California, USA ‘Poems of Mirabai’ 1996.
• Shruthilaya Records Chennai, India ‘Melodic Expressions’ 1998.
• Speak Easy Records – Minnesota, USA ‘Words will heal the wound’ 2002.
• Brindavan Audio Chennai India ‘Strings in Unison’ 2004.
• LDQ productions documentary-‘The story of Vishnu – the temple elephant’ 2004.
• INNOVA ‘Song of the Veena’ recorded in Minnesota and released worldwide 2007.

Her latest offering – Into the Raga -an album featuring Nirmala (in the company of India’s most virtuosic artists on Indian violin and Indian percussion) has been released worldwide under the INNOVA label in October 2010.

Awards and recognitions

• In 1989 Nirmala was chosen by the Indian Council for Cultural relations to represent India and perform in International Festivals. Berne, Switzerland was the first venue where she performed in 1991.
• In 1990 Nirmala was given the topnotch ranking of ‘A grade Artist’ by All India Radio, India’s premier gradations board.
• Since 1995, she has received grants such as Artists Initiative, Cultural Collaboration Grants from the Minnesota State Arts Board; grants and commissions from the Jerome Foundation, Playwrights Center, COMPAS Meet the Composer New York.
• Nirmala was selected as a BUSH Artistic fellow in 2006 by the Bush Foundation.
• In 2008 she was given the 2008 Achievement award by the India Association of MN, a unique honor given to one individual in the State of Minnesota every year.
• Rotary Club International presented her with a Vocational Excellence award in 2009.
• Nirmala won the Best concert award from the Indian Fine Arts Society India (2009) Best Veena artist from the Narada Gana Sabha 2009 and Best Veena concert of the Festival from the Carnegie Hall of India –the Music Academy Madras, India in Jan 2010.
• In May 2010, Nirmala has received (from the MacPhail Center for Music) the McKnight Performing Artists Fellowship for the year 2010-2011. She has become the first Indian Musician to be chosen for this Fellowship.